This disclosure relates to an improved agriculture implement frame and cart. In particular, an improved foldable and stackable frame for supporting planters, sprayers, or similar devices is disclosed. A novel track design that is well-suited for transporting the foldable-stackable frame is also disclosed. A new and improved design for folding wheels that are used to support the free ends of the frame is also disclosed.
Foldable frames that are used to support agricultural tools, such as planters, sprayers, or similar tools are well-known and widely used. Typically, the frames are attached to the rear of a tractor, utility cart or similar transportation vehicle. The frames have long booms, or wings, that can be adjusted into an extended working position that is generally transverse to the direction of travel of the tractor. The extended wings are too wide to permit convenient transportation when moving from field to field, or from storage to the field. Therefore, typically, the wings will adjust into a transport position. In the past, this has generally been accomplished by either folding the wings forward along the sides of the transportation vehicle, or by stacking the wings at the rear of the transportation vehicle. Folding the wings forward along the side of the transportation vehicle still leaves the overall width wider than the transportation vehicle, because the tools are still located outside the wheelbase of the transportation vehicle. Stacking the wings may adversely affect the handling characteristics of the transportation vehicle. The present invention relates to a unique design that permits the wings to be folded forward, and then stacked, so as to make the overall width narrower than if the wings were simply folded forward. Also, the handling characteristics of the transportation vehicle are improved over what they would be if the wings were merely stacked. Furthermore, the arrangement of the wings in the transport position leaves an unusually large space in the center of the transportation vehicle for storage of such things as a fertilizer tank, extra seed, or similar items.
The wings may be mounted on a utility cart that can be pulled behind a tractor or other pulling device. These utility carts can take many different forms. Most commonly they have a frame on which the wings can be mounted, and wheels that engage the ground. It is also known to substitute tracks or belts for the wheels. One difficulty with these tracks or belts is that the front and rear of the tracks or belts tend to stay in angular alignment with each other in terms of both pitch and roll, which prevents the tracks from closely following the contours of the ground. The present invention utilizes idler wheels mounted on tandem arms to support the track. The idler wheels pivot independently from each other, and allow the track to twist and bend to match the contours of the ground.
The handling characteristics of the utility cart and tractor combination can be improved if the weight distribution between the cart and the tractor is adjustable. The utility cart of the present invention may include adjustable hitch plates that allow the weight distribution to be varied.
It is common to provide the booms or wings with support wheels near the outboard end of the wings to provide support for the wings when in use. This disclosure discusses a unique and improved design for folding these wheels into a transport position.